U.S. patent number 9,452,611 [Application Number 14/830,160] was granted by the patent office on 2016-09-27 for holding member for liquid storage container, liquid ejection head, and printer.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha. The grantee listed for this patent is CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Satoshi Kimura, Kiyomitsu Kudo, Tomotsugu Kuroda, Kyosuke Toda, Naoko Tsujiuchi.
United States Patent |
9,452,611 |
Kimura , et al. |
September 27, 2016 |
Holding member for liquid storage container, liquid ejection head,
and printer
Abstract
A holding member for a liquid storage container includes: a
mounting portion for removably mounting the liquid storage
container through an opening along a predetermined direction; and a
locking member for locking the mounted liquid storage container to
the mounting portion by being fitted to the liquid storage
container, wherein the mounting portion has a regulating portion
for regulating inclination of a posture of the liquid storage
container relative to the predetermined direction at the time of
mounting the liquid storage container, the regulating portion being
a portion provided such that a space between an inner surface of
the mounting portion and an outer surface facing thereto of the
liquid storage container is partially narrowed along a direction of
insertion.
Inventors: |
Kimura; Satoshi (Kawasaki,
JP), Kuroda; Tomotsugu (Yokohama, JP),
Toda; Kyosuke (Kawasaki, JP), Tsujiuchi; Naoko
(Kawasaki, JP), Kudo; Kiyomitsu (Machida,
JP) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA |
Tokyo |
N/A |
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo,
JP)
|
Family
ID: |
55347537 |
Appl.
No.: |
14/830,160 |
Filed: |
August 19, 2015 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20160052283 A1 |
Feb 25, 2016 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2014 [JP] |
|
|
2014-170353 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41J
29/02 (20130101); B41J 2/17553 (20130101); B41J
2/17523 (20130101); B41J 2/1752 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B41J
2/175 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;347/49,86,108 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 209 866 |
|
Dec 2003 |
|
CA |
|
2 432 674 |
|
Dec 2003 |
|
CA |
|
1179385 |
|
Apr 1998 |
|
CN |
|
1212207 |
|
Mar 1999 |
|
CN |
|
1410275 |
|
Apr 2003 |
|
CN |
|
1636745 |
|
Jul 2005 |
|
CN |
|
1746031 |
|
Mar 2006 |
|
CN |
|
101134397 |
|
Mar 2008 |
|
CN |
|
103442895 |
|
Dec 2013 |
|
CN |
|
0 551 752 |
|
Jul 1993 |
|
EP |
|
2001-253087 |
|
Sep 2001 |
|
JP |
|
2008-110577 |
|
May 2008 |
|
JP |
|
Other References
Office Action dated Jul. 21, 2016, in corresponding Chinese
Application No. 201510516423.3. cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Vo; Anh T. N.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper &
Scinto
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A holding member for a liquid storage container, comprising: a
mounting portion for removably mounting the liquid storage
container through an opening along a predetermined direction of
insertion; a locking member having a locking portion for locking
the liquid storage container by engaging with the liquid storage
container and provided on an upper surface of the mounting portion
for locking the mounted liquid storage container to the mounting
portion by being fitted to the liquid storage container; a
regulating portion provided on a lower surface of the mounting
portion as a projection extending toward the upper surface, the
regulating portion being a portion provided such that a space
between an inner surface of the mounting portion and an outer
surface of the liquid storage container facing thereto is partially
narrowed along the direction of insertion; and a liquid supply
portion provided on a front surface with respect to the direction
of insertion of the liquid storage container and connected to a
liquid supply port of the liquid storage container for supplying a
liquid in the liquid storage container to a liquid ejection head,
wherein the regulating portion, the locking portion and the liquid
supply portion are arranged in the order as listed with respect to
the direction of insertion.
2. The holding member according to claim 1, wherein the regulating
portion is provided in a region between an opening face of the
opening of the mounting portion and the locking member with respect
to the direction of insertion.
3. The holding member according to claim 1, wherein the regulating
portion is positioned on a rear side of an opening face of the
opening of the mounting portion in the direction of insertion.
4. The holding member according to claim 1, wherein the regulating
portion is provided as a projection partially having a highest
projecting portion on a rear side of an opening face of the opening
of the mounting portion in the direction of insertion.
5. The holding member according to claim 1, wherein the regulating
portion is provided as a projection whose highest projecting
portion extends on a rear side of an opening face of the opening of
the mounting portion in the direction of insertion.
6. The holding member according to claim 1, wherein the regulating
portion is formed in a slope in which a height gradually increases
in the direction of insertion, from an opening face side of the
opening to a highest projecting portion.
7. The holding member according to claim 1, wherein the regulating
portion, which is one in number, is provided in a direction
crossing the direction of insertion.
8. The holding member according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of
regulating portions are provided in a direction crossing the
direction of insertion.
9. A liquid ejection head for mounting a holding member for a
liquid storage container, the holding member comprising: a mounting
portion for removably mounting the liquid storage container through
an opening along a direction of insertion; a locking member having
a locking portion for locking the liquid storage container by
engaging with the liquid storage container and provided on an upper
surface of the mounting portion for locking the mounted liquid
storage container to the mounting portion by being fitted to the
liquid storage container; a regulating portion provided on a lower
surface of the mounting portion as a projection extending toward
the upper surface, the regulating portion being a portion provided
such that a space between an inner surface of the mounting portion
and an outer surface of the liquid storage container facing thereto
is partially narrowed along the direction of insertion; and a
liquid supply portion provided on a front surface with respect to
the direction of insertion of the liquid storage container and
connected to a liquid supply port of the liquid storage container
for supplying a liquid in the liquid storage container to the
liquid election head, wherein the regulating portion, the locking
portion and the liquid supply portion are arranged in the order as
listed with respect to the direction of insertion, and wherein the
liquid storage container locked to the mounting portion is in fluid
communication with the liquid ejection head.
10. The liquid ejection head according to claim 9, wherein the
regulating portion is provided in a region between an opening face
of the opening of the mounting portion and the locking member with
respect to the direction of insertion.
11. The liquid ejection head according to claim 9, wherein the
regulating portion is provided as a projection partially having a
highest projecting portion on a rear side of an opening face of the
opening of the mounting portion in the direction of insertion.
12. The liquid ejection head according to claim 9, wherein the
regulating portion is formed in a slope in which a height gradually
increases in the direction of insertion, from an opening face side
of the opening to a highest projecting portion.
13. A printer for performing printing by using a liquid ejection
head for mounting a holding member for a liquid storage container,
the holding member comprising: a mounting portion for removably
mounting the liquid storage container through an opening along a
direction of insertion; a locking member having a locking portion
for locking the liquid storage container by engaging with the
liquid storage container and provided on an upper surface of the
mounting portion for locking the mounted liquid storage container
to the mounting portion by being fitted to the liquid storage
container; a regulating portion provided on a lower surface of the
mounting portion as a projection extending toward the upper
surface, the regulating portion being a portion provided such that
a space between an inner surface of the mounting portion and an
outer surface of the liquid storage container facing thereto is
partially narrowed along the direction of insertion; and a liquid
supply portion provided on a front surface with respect to the
direction of insertion of the liquid storage container and
connected to a liquid supply port of the liquid storage container
for supplying a liquid in the liquid storage container to the
liquid ejection head, wherein the regulating portion, the locking
portion and the liquid supply portion are arranged in the order as
listed with respect to the direction of insertion, and wherein the
liquid storage container locked to the mounting portion is in fluid
communication with the liquid ejection head.
14. The printer according to claim 13, wherein the regulating
portion is provided in a region between the opening face of the
opening of the mounting portion and the locking member with respect
to the direction of insertion.
15. The printer according to claim 13, wherein the regulating
portion is provided as a projection partially having a highest
projecting portion on a rear side of an opening face of the opening
of the mounting portion in the direction of insertion.
16. The printer according to claim 13, wherein the regulating
portion is formed in a slope in which a height thereof gradually
increases in the direction of insertion, from an opening face side
of the opening to a highest projecting portion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer performing printing by
applying a liquid on a medium, and more specifically to a holding
member for a liquid storage container for removably mounting the
liquid storage container which supplies the liquid to be
applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printer which has a holding member for removably mounting a
liquid storage container and which performs printing with a liquid
supplied from the liquid storage container mounted on the holding
member has been known.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-110577, for example, discloses a
holding member for a liquid storage container for use in a liquid
ejection head for applying a liquid on a medium. As a liquid supply
mechanism, the holding member and the liquid storage container have
a liquid supply needle which is to be inserted into the liquid
storage container and a liquid supply port into which the liquid
supply needle is inserted, respectively. Through the liquid supply
needle of the holding member inserted into the liquid supply port
of the liquid storage container, the liquid is supplied to the
liquid ejection head. Inserting the liquid storage container into
an interior space of the holding member to engage both the liquid
supply mechanisms with each other at a locking position enables the
supply of the liquid. The holding member has a locking member, for
example, in a shape of a nail, so as to lock the liquid storage
container at the locking position, and the liquid storage container
has a complementary locking mechanism such as an engagement member,
for example, in a shape of a recess, which engages with the locking
member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inner dimension of the holding member into which the liquid
storage container is inserted is formed to be larger than the outer
dimension of the liquid storage container, which creates a space
between an outer surface of the liquid storage container and an
inner surface facing thereto of the holding member. Depending on a
direction of pressing at the time of insertion of the liquid
storage container into an interior of the holding member, the
liquid storage container can be inserted with inclination relative
to an intended direction of insertion and bumps into an inner wall
of the holding member with a posture which does not allow the
locking mechanisms to engage with each other, thus occasionally
failing to be mounted.
An object of the present invention is to provide a holding member
for a liquid storage container, in which mounting of the liquid
storage container can be performed by surely inserting the liquid
storage container to the locking position irrespective of the
direction of pressing at the time of insertion, and a liquid
ejection head and a printer which use the holding member.
A holding member for a liquid storage container of the present
invention for achieving the above object includes: a mounting
portion for removably mounting the liquid storage container through
an opening along a predetermined direction; and a locking member
for locking the mounted liquid storage container to the mounting
portion by being fitted to the liquid storage container, wherein
the mounting portion has a regulating portion for regulating
inclination of a posture of the liquid storage container relative
to the predetermined direction at the time of mounting the liquid
storage container, the regulating portion being a portion provided
such that a space between an inner surface of the mounting portion
and an outer surface facing thereto of the liquid storage container
is partially narrowed along a direction of insertion.
According to the present invention, mounting of the liquid storage
container can be performed by surely inserting the liquid storage
container to the locking position irrespective of the direction of
pressing at the time of insertion.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from
the following description of exemplary embodiments (with reference
to the attached drawings).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view of a head according to an
embodiment;
FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of a portion Ib indicated in FIG.
1A;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a liquid storage container for use
in the head according to the embodiment;
FIGS. 3A to 3C are schematic views explaining mounting of the
liquid storage container on the head according to the
embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a state in the middle of inserting
the liquid storage container into the head according to the
embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a schematic view explaining mounting of a liquid storage
container on a traditional head; and
FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a
printer according to the embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with
reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings, the same
constituent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals and
overlapping explanations are omitted.
(Printer)
FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a
printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. In
this example, a printer 100 adopts an ink jet system in which
printing is performed by ejecting a liquid such as ink through a
nozzle unit of a liquid ejection head (hereinafter also referred to
simply as a head) 101.
The printer 100 has a guide rail 110 and a carriage 120 which
performs scanning along the guide rail 110 in a direction indicated
by an arrow X (a direction X) in the drawing. The carriage 120 is
mounted with the head 101 such that the nozzle unit faces a medium
on which printing is performed. The printer 100 ejects, from the
head 101, a liquid such as ink in a direction (a direction -Z)
opposite to a direction (a direction Z) indicated by an arrow Z
while causing the carriage 120 to perform scanning, thereby
applying the liquid on the medium which faces the head 101. The
medium is conveyed, by a conveyance unit (not shown), in a
conveyance direction (a direction Y) indicated by an arrow Y in the
drawing. The application of the liquid on the medium and conveyance
of the medium are appropriately performed so as to print an image
on the medium.
(Liquid Ejection Head)
FIG. 1A is a schematic perspective view of the liquid ejection head
according to the embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 1B is
an enlarged view of a portion indicated by a square Ib enclosed
with a dashed line in FIG. 1A. The liquid ejection head
(hereinafter also referred to simply as the head) 101 according to
the present embodiment adopts the ink jet system and has a nozzle
unit 102 for ejecting a liquid and a holding member (a mounting
portion) 104 for holding a liquid storage container which stores
the liquid to be ejected.
The head 101 ejects, through the nozzle unit 102 in which apertures
of nozzles are arranged, a liquid such as ink onto a medium such as
paper which is positioned facing the nozzle unit 102 to apply the
liquid and print an image on the medium.
(Holding Member)
The holding member 104 has an opening and interior space for
insertion of the liquid storage container. In the interior space of
the holding member 104, the liquid storage container which stores
the liquid to be supplied to the nozzle unit 102 is removably
mounted along a predetermined direction. The holding member 104 has
a locking member 103 for locking the mounted liquid storage
container at a locking position by performing, for example,
fitting, and a regulating portion 107 for regulating a posture of
the liquid storage container at the time of insertion of the liquid
storage container to the locking position.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the liquid
storage container removably mounted on the holding member 104 of
the liquid ejection head 101 according to the embodiment of the
present invention. A liquid storage container 201 is substantially
in a cuboid shape, one of the sides thereof having a recess 202
which creates a locking state by engaging with the locking member
103 at the locking position, once the liquid storage container 201
is inserted into the holding member 104. The liquid storage
container 201 is inserted through the opening of the holding member
104 in a direction indicated by an arrow A in the drawing to be
mounted on the interior space of the holding member 104.
FIGS. 3A to 3C and FIG. 4 are schematic cross-sectional views
explaining mounting of the liquid storage container 201 on the
holding member 104 according to the embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 3A shows a state in which the liquid storage container 201 is
mounted on the holding member 104 according to the embodiment of
the present invention.
The holding member 104 has a biasing member 106 which biases the
inserted liquid storage container 201 toward a direction (a
direction -A) opposite to a direction of insertion (a direction A)
indicated by an arrow A. The biasing member 106 may be, for
example, a coil spring.
In the process of mounting, once the liquid storage container 201
is being inserted in the direction A to reach around the locking
position, the locking member 103 falls down into the recess 202 of
the liquid storage container 201, thereby bringing the locking
member 103 and the recess 202 into a loose-fit state. The liquid
storage container 201 is biased, by the biasing member 106, toward
the direction (the direction -A) opposite to the direction of
insertion, and whereby the recess 202 of the liquid storage
container 201 and the locking member 103, which are in the
loose-fit state, are brought into abutment with each other to be
locked so as to maintain the state of mounting. It should be noted
that a position of the locking member 103 at this time is called a
lock position, while a position of the locking member 103 in a
state in which the liquid storage container 201 is insertable into
and removable from the holding member 104 is called a lock
releasing position. The locking member 103 may be manually moved
from the lock position to the lock releasing position.
The head 101 has a liquid supply needle 105 on an inner surface on
a rear side in the holding member 104 in the direction of insertion
(the direction A) of the liquid storage container 201. At the
locking position, the liquid supply needle 105 is inserted into a
liquid supply port of the liquid storage container 201 so as to be
capable of being in fluid communication and supplies the liquid in
the liquid storage container 201 into the head 101. The liquid
supplied into the head 101 is led to the nozzle unit 102 to be
ejected through the nozzle unit 102 in accordance with an
electrical signal.
FIG. 3B shows a state in the middle of mounting the liquid storage
container 201 on the holding member 104 according to the embodiment
of the present invention.
The liquid storage container 201 is inserted, through the opening
of the holding member 104, into the interior space of the holding
member 104. The holding member 104 is provided with the locking
member 103, in such a manner as to project inwardly, on the side of
a surface (an inner wall) thereof facing a surface with the recess
of the liquid storage container 201 to be inserted and the interior
of the holding member 104 is provided with the regulating portion
107 on a surface (a bottom surface of the inner wall) thereof
opposite to the surface (an upper surface of the inner wall)
thereof on the side of which the locking member 103 is provided.
The regulating portion 107 is preferably provided on a surface (the
inner wall) of the holding member 104, the surface facing a lower
surface of the liquid storage container 201 in the gravity
direction in the posture in use. In a case where the liquid storage
container 201 is inserted into the interior space of the holding
member 104, the inner wall of the holding member 104 and the
regulating portion 107 provided thereon regulate the posture of the
liquid storage container 201.
FIG. 3C shows a state in which the liquid storage container 201 is
mounted with inclination relative to the holding member 104
according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The regulating portion 107 of the holding member 104 according to
the present embodiment regulates the posture of the liquid storage
container 201 during the process of inserting the liquid storage
container 201 into the holding member, that is, more specifically,
an inclination angle of the posture relative to the direction of
insertion (the direction A). As shown in FIG. 3C, by regulating the
inclination angle to be smaller, even if the liquid storage
container 201 is in an inclined posture, the liquid storage
container 201 can be inserted to the locking position before
contacting the inner wall of the holding member 104 on the rear
side in the direction of insertion.
With reference to FIG. 5, the effects of the present invention will
be explained understandably. FIG. 5 shows a liquid ejection head
501 of an example of prior art. Since a holding member 504 of a
liquid ejection head 501 of the example of prior art does not have
the regulating portion 107, in a case where the posture of the
liquid storage container 201 is inclined relative to the direction
of insertion (the direction A) by pressing at the time of
insertion, the inclination may become relatively larger as compared
to that of the embodiment of the present invention. In a case where
the inclination is large, even if the liquid storage container 201
reaches an inner wall on a rear side in the holding member 504 by
pressing, the liquid storage container 201 cannot reach a position
where the locking member 103 can be fitted to the recess 202, and
creates a state in which the locking member 103 cannot be fitted to
the recess 202. Meanwhile, in the embodiment of the present
invention, by having the regulating portion 107 for regulating the
posture of the liquid storage container 201 during the process of
insertion, such a state can be avoided.
With reference to FIG. 4, a configuration according to the
embodiment of the present invention and exemplary modifications
thereof will be described in detail.
As described above, the regulating portion 107 of the present
invention regulates, during the process of inserting the liquid
storage container 201 into the holding member 104, the posture of
the liquid storage container 201 such that the inclination angle
relative to the direction of insertion becomes small. For such a
purpose, the regulating portion 107 is provided as a portion
projecting inwardly in the interior space of the holding member
into which the liquid storage container is inserted so as to reduce
partially, along the direction of insertion, the space between an
outer surface of the liquid storage container 201 and an inner
surface of the holding member 104 facing thereto. In other words,
the regulating portion 107 is provided such that the
cross-sectional area of the interior space through which the liquid
storage container passes is smaller than the area of an opening
face of the opening of the holding member 104 in a region where the
regulating portion 107 is located.
As shown in FIG. 4, the regulating portion 107 according to the
embodiment of the present invention is provided on a near side of
the locking member 103 in the direction of insertion (the direction
A). Further, the regulating portion 107 is provided as a projection
having a highest projecting portion in a region between the opening
face of the opening of the holding member 104 and the inner wall on
the rear side, in the direction of insertion, in the holding member
104.
For preventing the insertion of the liquid storage container 201
from being interrupted by being caught at the time of insertion,
the highest projecting portion of the regulating portion 107 is
located on a rear side than the opening face of the opening of the
holding member 104. The regulating portion 107 is preferably formed
in a slope in which the height thereof gradually increases toward
the direction of insertion, from an opening face side thereof to
the highest projecting portion in an area where the regulating
portion 107 is located.
Further, for securing the easiness of insertion of the liquid
storage container 201 during the process of insertion, the
regulating portion 107 of the present invention is preferably
provided in a form such that an area contacting the liquid storage
container 201 to be inserted is as small as possible to reduce the
sliding resistance.
More specifically, the highest projecting portion of the regulating
portion 107 of the present invention is preferably partially
provided in a direction crossing the direction of insertion (the
direction A). For instance, one regulating portion 107 may be
provided as a portion having a geometry such as a slit, groove, or
dot on the surface thereof. Also, a plurality of regulating
portions 107 may be provided by arranging the regulating portions
in such a form as a platform and a rib. Specifically, as shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B, the regulating portion 107 according to the
present embodiment is provided as one or two projections for each
of the liquid storage containers in the direction crossing the
direction of insertion (the direction A).
In other words, the regulating portion 107 of the present invention
may be provided in such a manner as to project within the width of
the liquid storage container in the direction crossing the
direction of insertion (the direction A) in the area where the
regulating portion is located. In this case, the regulating portion
107 may be provided partially on a center portion within the width
of the liquid storage container, thereby suppressing the resistance
at the time of mounting. Further, the regulating portion 107 may
also be plurally provided within the width of the liquid storage
container and the plurality of regulating portions 107 may be
provided in positions symmetrically in the width direction of the
liquid storage container. In the present invention, the number of
the regulating portions 107 and the number of the highest
projecting portions of the regulating portion 107 are not
limited.
Moreover, the highest projecting portion of the regulating portion
107 of the present invention may be continuously or discontinuously
provided through to the rear side in the direction of insertion of
the holding member 104 with respect to the direction of insertion
(the direction A). That is, an embodiment in which the highest
projecting portion of the regulating portion 107 extends (for
example, a platform shape, a rib shape, and the like) within a
region Y shown in FIG. 4 may be possible.
However, in the present invention, the highest projecting portion
of the regulating portion 107 is preferably provided partially in
the direction of insertion (the direction A). Specifically, in the
embodiment shown in FIG. 4, for example, the regulating portion 107
is provided as a projection partially projecting. Therefore, with
respect to the direction of insertion (the direction A), a portion
on the rear side (the region Y) relative to the highest projecting
portion of the regulating portion 107 as well as a portion on the
near side (a region X) relative to the regulating portion 107 has
the larger cross-sectional area of the interior space through which
the liquid storage container passes as compared to the
cross-sectional area of the area where the regulating portion 107
is located.
According to the embodiment in which the regulating portion 107 is
formed in such a projection shape, since the regulating portion 107
less contacts the liquid storage container 201 in the direction of
insertion, a phenomenon in which the motion of the liquid storage
container 201 is regulated to be small due to a reduced space
between the liquid storage container 201 and the holding member 104
is suppressed.
More advantageously, the regulating portion partially projecting
allows the direction of insertion of the liquid storage container
201 to be altered in the middle of insertion. That is, the liquid
storage container 201 contacts the highest projecting portion of
the regulating portion 107 and can vary, having the contact point
as a support point, the inclination of the posture relative to the
original direction of insertion. The liquid storage container 201
can be inserted while the inclination of the posture thereof
relative to the holding member 104 is finely adjusted, and thus can
easily reach the locking position where the locking member 103 can
be fitted to the recess 202.
As described above, according to the configuration of the present
invention, the inclination of the posture of the liquid storage
container 201 relative to the direction of insertion can be reduced
during the process of insertion, and whereby even in a case where
the inner dimension of the holding member is made relatively larger
than the outer dimension of the liquid storage container for easier
mounting, the angle of insertion of the liquid storage container
can be regulated, thereby enabling the mounting of the liquid
storage container with accuracy. Further, before the liquid storage
container 201 bumps into the rear end of the holding member 104,
the locking member 103 can be fitted to the recess 202.
Therefore, according to the present invention, mounting of the
liquid storage container can be performed by surely inserting the
liquid storage container to the locking position irrespective of
the direction of pressing at the time of insertion.
While the present invention has been described with reference to
exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is
not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of
the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation
so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures
and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application
No. 2014-170353 filed on Aug. 25, 2014, which is hereby
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
* * * * *